An off-duty Dunedin taxi driver on his way to see solar-powered lights that had been installed around his mother's grave was allegedly beaten by teenagers when he stopped in South Dunedin early yesterday.
Geoff Mattson thought he had done everything he could to avoid dealing with potentially violent drunks.
He had made a choice to work weekday shifts in a wheelchair taxi, but even so, he became the second city driver assaulted in as many weeks.
The eight-year veteran finished work about 9pm and spent some time at home and then at Dunedin Casino before deciding to drive to see the lights his father had installed around his mother's grave.
Still in his Dunedin Taxis uniform, he stopped outside the ASB bank ATM in King Edward St about 12.30am.
He heard yelling and saw a group of three teenagers run across the road.
"They said they wanted a ride, but they were obviously inebriated and they just couldn't understand that I was off-duty and that the van wasn't for hire," Mr Mattson (49) said.
"I was still in my uniform, and the van was there, and they just couldn't see that I wasn't kidding. Then things blew up."
Abuse flew before punches were rained about his torso and the back and side of his head.
Two of the teens kept swinging as he tried to calm things down.
Mr Mattson managed to get back into his van, but was "half pulled out" by one of the teens.
One jumped into the driver's seat and "it looked like she was going to try to take the van".
He pulled her out, and then "things really got out of hand".
"I think a couple of others joined in. They were swearing and swinging at me. It was out of control, more violent than it was before."
A male who was part of the group but who stayed well away from the fracas ran from the other side of the road to intervene.
He told Mr Mattson to hurry up and "kept saying to me: `Just get ... out of here'."
Mr Mattson clambered back into the van, drove down the road, and called the police.
The whole incident might have lasted 10 minutes, he said.
While shaken and sore, Mr Mattson was well enough yesterday to ferry the elderly and people with disabilities to their appointments.
"It was an isolated incident. I've never had anything like this before, but it is ironic I guess that I don't work the Saturday nights for the very reason that I don't want to deal with the drunks and hostility you can sometimes get - and this happens during the week."
Mr Mattson was the second driver allegedly assaulted in Dunedin in less than two weeks.
City Taxis driver Ken McIntyre spent time in hospital after he was allegedly punched and robbed by a passenger he took to Kettle Park in Moana Rua Rd, St Kilda, late on July 24.
Terina Ruri (19) was charged with aggravated robbery and was denied bail when she appeared in the Dunedin District Court last Wednesday.
Senior Sergeant Bruce Ross said two girls had been charged following yesterday's incident.
A 16-year-old girl had been charged with assault and a 17-year-old girl with assault and unlawfully getting into a car.
They were bailed to appear in Dunedin Youth Court on August 10.
